Raven's Cry
by Illeana Starbright
Summary: He was supposed to be dead...but he isn't. Found by the Jedi council Andre Ozera's two force gifted children will risk their lives to keep him safe. The only problem is the council's not the only one after him. An old enemy wants revenge. The race is on.
1. Prologue: Deceitful Escape

_Prologue: Deceitful Escape_

_Dark haired padawan and quiet captain exchanged glances. "Are you sure you wish to do this?" the captain asked._

"_Positive. It must be done else I will never live through the shame. She is my life now," the padawan said. Then he leapt to the ground and vanished. The captain waited with a heavy heart. He didn't like having to deceive the Jedi Council but he also knew what was best for his young friend. As he turned to leave the ground rocked beneath him. The captain watched in horror as thousands of tons of rock collapsed over the spot where his friend was._

_The flight back to Coresaunt was long but the captain wished it was longer. The Jedi Council was shocked but his news but Mace Windu and Obi-wan Kenobi were devastated. Andre Ozera had been a well trained padawan and would have soon become a Jedi master. It was a struggled to accept the fact that he was gone. His body was never found._


	2. Chapter One: Return

_Chapter One: Return_

Her children were uneasy. The twins didn't hide it well. Their nerves built on each other. Her oldest child hid his behind a mask that no one was allowed to penetrate. Chelsea Lowen Ozera slipped a strand of blonde hair that had escaped from her braid away and surveyed them. She couldn't pretend that she wasn't worried but that didn't change anything. Leon abruptly stood up and slipped out of the house, unable to take the tension any more. Chelsea watched her golden haired son go and then turned to his twin. Dark haired Naren was unworried. Like most twins of her people Naren and Leon were thoughtspeakers. "He's just going up the hill," Naren reassured her mother. Chelsea nodded.

"Christian, Naren, help me with the dishes," she told them, ignoring the fact that all of them had eaten little. The two nodded and began clearing off the table. It was a testament to their worry that they didn't take shots at each other as they cleaned. That was when the ship landed. Chelsea let out a sigh of relief as Andre stepped out unharmed. Naren ran to her father and hugged him, her silky black hair so like his own coming out of her braid. Christian, also dark haired, greeted his father with a wave.

"Come on Miss. Raven," he called. "It's so like you to slack on doing the dishes." Naren rolled her eyes and re-entered the house to help her brother.

"It's not like you do anything except flirt with Kate all day so I don't see why doing a little work is so difficult," Naren retorted. Kate was a red-headed girl that Christian had fallen in love with last fall. Since then Naren had teased him mercilessly about it.

"Children please. Can't I eat one meal without you two bickering?" Andre asked, eyes sparkling. Naren shook her head and Chelsea laughed. It was good that he was back.

"What is that?" Naren's voice suddenly rang out. Chelsea turned. Her only daughter wasn't one to overreact about small things.

"It looks like a…like a," Christian said. He swallowed hard.

"A tracking device," Naren finished coldly. Andre sprang to his feet but it was too late. A ship was already landing.

"Naren, go get your twin and get out of here. Christian you as well. Now," Andre ordered. The two hesitated and then reluctantly ran. Chelsea kissed Andre gently on the cheek and then went to retrieve his lightsaber.


	3. Chapter Two: Old Wounds

_Chapter Two: Old Wounds_

Anikin Skywalker had noticed his old master was quieter and more reserved than usual when they arrived at Tatooine but hadn't wanted to say anything. As they landed he cursed himself for not noticing sooner but he guessed it was to be expected. He had left Ashoka alone and now he worried about her. Anikin stepped on to the sand of his home planet and tried to hide his disgust. Waiting for him and Obi-wan Kenobi was a man with a little gray streaking through his black hair. He was about Obi-wan's age and his jade green eyes met Anikin's with no remorse. "Andre Ozera," Obi-wan said after a moment. "They told us you were dead."

"A necessary deception my old friend. I almost did die that day," the dark haired man replied. His eyes went to Anikin. "Your padawan?" he asked.

"My old padawan. Anikin is a Jedi master of skill now," Obi-wan replied tiredly.

"Not unlike you were," Andre replied. "I think we can both safely assume I know why you are here."

"Yes. You are charged with abandoning the jedi code. You and any of your children gifted with the force must stand proper trial."

"You must understand that I don't wish to comply with this," Andre said with a rueful smile. "We both know what the outcome will be." Obi-wan nodded.

"We all do," another voice said. The speaker was a boy of about seventeen with dark hair and blue eyes. There was a stubborn glint in them that said nothing would deter this figure. Andre glanced at him and sighed.

"Obi-wan, Anikin, meet my oldest son Christian," he said. Anikin looked over him. Christian Ozera was a slimmer copy of his father except for the blue eyes. It would be impossible for him to deny being gifted with the force; it radiated off him in angry controlled waves. There was something else crouching behind the anger though; worry.

"Is he the only gifted one?" Obi-wan asked even though Anikin knew his old mentor didn't want to know the answer.

"Yes; the twins are only gifted from Chelsea's side of the family," Andre replied wearily. Christian shot his father a strange look but said nothing. He was holding something behind his back and seemed more concerned about it than what his father was saying.

"I am going to have to ask you to place down your weapons and come with us along with your son," Obi-wan said.

"I am unarmed myself. I did not think it wise," Andre said. "I will come." He walked foreword and motioned with a hand for Christian to follow. The teen shook his head. "Christian please, don't cause any trouble," Andre said. Anikin glanced at Obi-wan who nodded slightly. He stepped forward and then had to rapidly put his lightsaber to good use. Andre Ozera had obviously taught Christian some of his craft. The teen was good enough but obviously not as comfortable with the weapon as most padawans. There battle lasted for a few moments before Anikin was able to use to force to send Christian's lighsaber away from him. The two looked at each other for a moment and then Andre sighed. "You should have known better," he told his son.

"Of course he should have but he never learns. He always has to try anyway to prove to himself that it really can't be done," A wry voice said. A girl around fourteen or fifteen was making her way over a sand dune as gracefully as if it were solid ground. Her long dark hair was pulled into a braid and her eyes were a bright green. Her hand stretched out casually and the lightsaber shifted slightly and then flew into her hand, igniting. Anikin and Obi-wan exchanged glances. They had both felt her use of the force. She smiled at the two of them slightly and then deactivated the lightsaber and rapidly made her way up the dune. Anikin cursed and deactivated his own, chasing after her.


	4. Chapter Three: Diversions

_Chapter Three: Diversions_

Naren was fast and confidant that she could outrun anyone they sent after her. She made her way smoothly and at a slow run up and down one sand dune and began going up the next before she turned. What she saw made her speed up. The younger dark haired jedi was gaining on her. He must have lived on Tatooine for some period of time. Naren twisted her fingers tighter around the lightsaber and hoped her father and brother could get away. If she could get to the ship half buried under a layer of sand then she could get out. She was almost there when she heard the hiss of a lightsaber behind her.

Naren turned, activating Christian's lighsaber as she did so. Her fingers were locked around the handle and she watched her opponent warily. Christian had always been supremely confidant and that was his weakness. Christian was a good fighter but he always thought he could win. Naren was sure she couldn't win this fight but she could try. Their lightsabers clashed, blue on blue, and Naren disengaged first. She could hear her father's voice in her mind saying, "You're small and quick but if you're fighting a stronger opponent you can't afford to clash with them directly." This time Naren had no choice but that didn't mean she needed to get in a locked battle of strength either. She could use her size and speed to her advantage.

Soon Naren was too busy to even think. She stayed unengaged as often as possible but she was struggle and she somehow had the feeling that this jedi was just toying with her. Naren felt her lips form a grim line and she changed tactics, becoming reckless and wild. Sweat ran down her back and shoulders and stung her eyes. Her breathing was becoming heavy and her arms ached. Christian was strong but he lacked the discipline and patience to fight for this long and Naren's father refused to fight them. In the end it was Leon who caused her to falter. She felt him getting nearer but she had ignored it. _What are you doing?_ His voice rang in her head and startled her. Her fingers slipped as the lightsaber met her opponents and it went flying. _Leave me alone_, Naren hissed mentally back, rolling to one side. She could feel Leon's hurt and fear as he vanished out of her mind and his presence faded slightly.

She was yanked to her feet and she saw the jedi pause to pick up Christian's lightsaber. The ship wasn't far from here and Naren slowly edged toward it without looking. She had been on the top of this particular dune so many times she had lost track. A hand snagged her wrist and she was pulled after the jedi down the slope of the dune. It was easier going down than up except for the fact that the dune was so steep that they half slid down. The next one was moderately better and then Naren saw her house. It appeared to be empty and Naren could see the other jedi standing outside. "It took you long enough Anakin," he said.

"Yes, well she put up more of a fight than I expected," Anakin replied. "Are we done here?" The other jedi sighed.

"For the time being. Andre and his son escaped me but with his daughter in custody I'm confident that he will show up. We should head back to Coresaunt to report anyway." Naren hoped with all her heart that they didn't show up. Her mother would be heartbroken if her father never returned. She made her way onto the ship between the two jedi knights. The older one led her into a room and the door hissed shut behind her. Naren sank down on the small cot opposite the door and put her head in her hands as the ship left Tatooine behind.


	5. Chapter Four: Part of the Truth

_Sorry for taking a long time to update! I lost the story line of where I was going with this and it just now came back to me. All characters/lines/ect you recognize belong to George Lucas._

* * *

_Chapter Four: Part of the Truth_

"Why don't you bring the girl out as well?" Obi-wan asked. "She may know more than I do and in any case it allows us to keep an eye on her." Anakin nodded and stood, making his way to the compartment in the back of the ship where she was currently being housed. He pushed the button that opened the door and was met with tired green eyes before a cascade of dark hair fell over them.

"Come with me," he said coldly and turned to walk away. Behind him he heard the tap of booted feet on the metal floor of the ship. He settled into the co-pilots seat and saw the dark haired girl settle into a spare on behind them.

"What's your name?" Obi-wan asked without any explanation. She glanced at him briefly and then went back to braiding her dark hair again.

"Naren," she said coolly and he nodded.

"Have you heard the story of your father's escape?" Anakin's former master asked him.

"Only the end of it but not how it came about," she said with a shrug but when she looked up her dark eyes were alive with interest.

"Well Andre was sent to find Count Dooku who, at the time, was simply a rouge Jedi master and not a sith lord. He took a captain with him who, at the time, was considered very trustworthy, and made his way out to find his old Jedi master. The next we heard from him was that he had found Dooku's lair and was going in. None of us were worried at the time simply because he was one of the best and if anyone could talk sense into Dooku it would have been him. A few hours after his transmission the captain returned to say Andre was dead in a massive explosion. We never found the body. That's where my knowledge of this affair comes to an end. I'm not even sure how we managed to find him."

Anakin considered that silently. It seemed likely enough but now that he knew the truth the story seemed to ring false. "I don't know about anything before his life except that there was an explosion and he was half dead when he arrived on Mother's doorstep. He hid away who he was and joined the peacekeepers in order to keep his fighting strength up. That's all I was told. He doesn't like talking much about his past," Naren admitted, twirling a strand of hair around her finger almost absentmindedly.

"Why did none of you question the captain's story?" Anakin asked after a moment. "It would seem unless Andre had planned the explosion and escape with Dooku beforehand that the captain would know about this."

"At the time there was seen no need to investigate further. Master Windu himself saw the sight of the explosion and that was enough. We saw no reason to prolong the process and serve his family more heartache by holding him under suspicion," Obi-wan said as he steered the ship safely out of hyperspace. "I'm sure enquires are being made now but even if the captain knew anything he probably wouldn't have known the whole truth."

"Why ever not?" Anakin asked dryly as they made their way through the misty white clouds that currently shielded Coresaunt from view.

"Because Andre kept his own counsel even around his closest friends," Obi-wan said. That was when they both heard a muted gasp. The ship had broken through the clouds to reveal the beauty of Coresaunt below them. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Obi-wan asked the teenage girl. Naren glanced over what she saw with awe but also something else in her eyes; disgust though Anakin wasn't sure exactly what for.

"It's different," she admitted neutrally as the ship landed smoothly on the private dock of the building the Jedi Council used as their main base. There was a hiss as the door opened and Obi-wan and Anakin stood and made their way out into the pleasantly warm air with Naren following them. Jedi masters Mace Windu and Yoda were waiting for them.

Yoda looked over the party and then his eyes settled on Obi-wan. "Much explaining you have to do my friend," he said. "Inside we must go to talk of things. Stir the dark forces do, even now."


End file.
